UP, DOST unveil R&D laboratory facility for small satellites

The University of the Philippines Diliman is now home to a pioneering research and development (R&D) laboratory for small satellites.

Photo shows STAMINA4Space PHL-50 Project researcher John Leur Labrador during a demo and visualization of the Diwata-2A Engineering Model Setup

Dubbed the “University
Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems” or ULyS³ES,
the facility was inaugurated on Saturday, August 31, in a ceremony attended by
officials from UPD, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and
partners from academe, government, industry and media.

Located at the site of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UPD-EEEI) in UP Diliman, ULyS³ES was built as part of the research program, “Development of the Philippines Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite” or PHL-Microsat (2014-2018) and its successor, the “Space Technology & Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement” or STAMINA4ASpace (2019-2023).

The PHL-Microsat and STAMINA4Space
programs are implemented by UPD and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology
Institute (DOST-ASTI) with support from the DOST-Philippine Council for
Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development and the DOST
Grants-in-aid (GIA).

ULyS³ES is intended to serve
as an academic hub for interdisciplinary R&D and instruction innovations in
space technology in the Philippines. Comprised of two buildings, ULyS³ES-1 and ULyS³ES-2,
the laboratory enables engineering and science researchers to collaborate on
the development of small satellites through relevant mission planning and the
corresponding design, implementation and test of satellite bus and payload systems.

The collaboration also aims
to develop courses that can be incorporated in undergraduate or graduate
curricula and subsequently replicated or adopted by other universities.

Dedicated spaces for R&D in small satellite technologies

Highlights of the facility
include shared spaces for researchers and staff, laboratories, testing
facilities as well as an exhibit area.

The exhibit area showcases
mock-ups of the 50-kg microsatellites Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, the 1-kg
nanosatellite Maya-1, examples of electronic components developed for the small
satellites, as well as other milestones of program for the information of
visitors and guests of the facility.

ULyS³ES-1 contains the
equipment for functional testing of small satellite components and integrated
systems, “clean booths” for small satellite assembly, a thermal
vacuum chamber for space environment testing of nanosatellites, as well as
rapid prototyping equipment.

The ULyS³ES-1 laboratory also
houses the Engineering Model (EM) of Diwata-2 and a Flight Model (FM) of Maya-1,
which are functional replicas of the actual satellites that were deployed in
space and used by STAMINA4Space researchers as testbeds for further
experimentation and instruction.

To better appreciate how
these facilities enable the design and development process of small satellite
systems, the researchers conducted a demo of the various components of small
satellites such as the communication subsystem and image capture capabilities.

Guests were also able to
witness the visualization of Diwata-2’s actual behavior in orbit using the
Diwata-2 Engineering Model table satellite setup.

Other highlights of the tour
included a demonstration by the STAMINA4Space Program’s Optical Payload
Technology, In-depth Knowledge Acquisition and Localization (OPTIKAL) Project,
led by Dr. Maricor Soriano of the UP Diliman National Institute of Physics (UPD-NIP),
of a prototype electro-optic camera payload for a small satellite.

The Ground Receiving,
Archiving, Science Product Development and Distribution (GRASPED) component of
STAMINA4Space also explained how satellites are tasked through uploaded
commands and how acquired imagery and other data are then downloaded to the
ground station, specifically through DOST-ASTI’s Philippine Earth Data Resource
and Observation (PEDRO) Center.

The raw data are then
processed, archived, and then made accessible online by the STAMINA4Space
Program at no cost.

The ULyS³ES-2 has a Full
Anechoic Chamber (FAC) that is used to measure and test the radiation pattern
of antennas. The first of its kind in the Philippines, it enables faster development cycle for a
satellite’s communication system through (in situ) antenna measurements and
performance verification of the onboard radios or transceivers. The efficient
performance of antennas and radio systems is a crucial ingredient in ensuring
the success of the satellite mission.

“Command, control and
communication will not be possible if the satellite’s antennas or radios fail
and the FAC provides us with the means for testing the functionality of those
critical subsystems”, said Keziah Bartilad, a member of the STAMINA4Space
Program and manager of the FAC facility.

The ability to perform these
measurements locally is a much welcome development, according to
representatives from local semiconductor and electronics companies and academic
institutions who attended the inauguration.

“Apart from supporting
academic research, the facility was built with local industry in mind as part
of ensuring sustainability,” said Dr. Joel Marciano, program leader of
STAMINA4Space and acting director of DOST-ASTI.

“There are companies in
the Philippines that design, manufacture and test wireless
communication systems and they can avail of the facility’s services,” he
added.

During the tour, guests were
able to witness the actual testing of an antenna system prototype built by a
local company and hear from the company representatives about the benefits of
the facility.

Both buildings are also
fitted out with offices for researchers, students and staff, meeting rooms and
other shared spaces that were designed to provide an environment conducive to
collaboration.

The spaces also support
instructional activities, such as the implementation of the nanosatellite
engineering track and scholarships in the Master of Science (MS) and Master of
Engineering (MEng) in Electrical Engineering (EE) programs of UPD-EEEI being
implemented by the Space Science and Technology Proliferation through
University Partnerships (STeP-UP) component of the STAMINA4Space program.

In his message, DOST secretary
Fortunato T. de la Peña noted the timeliness of the inauguration of ULyS³ES in
view of the recent passage of the Republic Act No. 11363, which marks the
creation of a Philippine Space Agency.

He affirmed the agency’s
support in space initiatives — as stated in a recent press conference — with
the DOST having invested a total of approximately P7.48 billion on space-related
research and development over the past 10 years, which includes 15 space-related
programs and projects implemented by different universities and agencies across
the country.

DOST-PCIEERD executive
director Dr. Enrico Paringit and DOST undersecretary for Research and
Development Dr. Rowena Guevara echoed their support, having witnessed and been
closely involved with the growing number of space initiatives under DOST.

By establishing a physical
environment for space R&D, ULyS³ES also aims to encourage and inspire
students to pursue careers in science and technology.

While abbreviated out of
practicality (after the eponymous Latin name of the Greek hero Odysseus in
Homer’s epic poem, Odyssey), Dr. Marciano said the name “ULyS³ES” might
just as well have been inspired by the legendary Greek hero’s travels — likening
the country’s foray into space technology to an adventure or journey.

“(An epic journey) beset
by challenges but also profuse with opportunities,” he said. “Like
Odysseus who wanted to come back home and toiled for ten years after fighting
the Trojan war, our scholars — who were ‘sent to battle’, yearned for home as
well. Not just to reunite with their families, but also to find a home for the
application of their training. That academic home is ULyS³ES,” he said.

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